Editorials

Does Guwahati need a Mayor?

Sidharth Bedi Varma | August 04, 2018 16:14
hrs

Guwahati has a Mayor. This is information that a lot of people are not aware of. Let me begin with the premise that the Mayor is the highest-ranking official in the municipal department of a city/town. The Guwahati Mayor’s term has now come to an end after about 2 years and here’s why people are unaware or his exit isn’t grabbing attention.

A Mayor is not elected, rather selected. This of course is at the (secretive) discretion of whichever government is in power…

The designation of a Mayor is only significant to the younger age group, future voters and millennials, thanks to US television and content. They take their Mayoral elections seriously and their representatives are answerable to the people. These representatives are not ‘career politicians’ rather public figures who are more ‘relatable’ to the audience; more homegrown if I may add.

Unfortunately, our Mayor and his tenure have both been lacklustre; whether it is his personality or the attire that comes with him. Guwahati’s Mayor, simply put, has been reduced to a mere prop for basic photo-ops and this is not good, not anymore.
It is high time that the profile and the work of a Mayor are taken seriously. If candidates are not fit to represent, maybe the city can do away with the person or profile. The profile of a Mayor is representative of a city and a dull personality grinding it out for 2 years is a lot of valuable time lost that could have been better utilized for Guwahati’s image building.

To tell you the truth, a Bicycle Mayor makes for a more engaging read and profile than our GMC Mayor. Ditch the “sneakers with formals” look and get someone fitter to represent. You feel me?